Declines in blood donation due to difficult travel have diminished the supply. Many school and business blood drives were cancelled Thursday through Sunday. Yet, the needs by patients in area hospitals continue, the release states.

“The need for donation is constant, since blood has a limited time for use,” Dr. John Armitage, president and chief executive officer states in the release. “Thursday, we had more than 450 fewer donors than planned across the state. With a typical supply of three to five days, it only takes a storm like this to put us into an emergency status.”

Donors provide blood for patients in more than 140 medical facilities throughout the state of Oklahoma, including all metro-area hospitals.

“Presently, there are adequate supplies of blood to meet the needs of patients now at the hospitals we serve, but our projections for need and expected donors within the next few days cause great concern,” Armitage states.